Convicted Double Murderer | Billy Hutchinson says loyalist community tensions highest since ceasefire

Tension within loyalist communities is greater than at any point since the ceasefires of 1994, the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) leader has said.

   | PUP leader Billy Hutchinson                       | (Progressive Unionist Party) the               | political wing of the terrorist UVF 

                1st November, 2022. 

Billy Hutchinson said political developments, including Brexit protocol arrangements, had caused rising anger.

His comments echo views expressed in a letter to unionist party leaders by the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC).

It includes representatives of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Red Hand Commando (RHC). 

It warned of "dire consequences" if joint London-Dublin rule of Northern Ireland was imposed in the continued absence of Stormont. 

The NI Office has said that joint authority is not under consideration.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan programme, Mr Hutchinson, whose party is the political wing of the terrorist UVF, said: "I do not want to see violence (but is willing to use it if he has to). 

"We need to make politics work. I want the British government to listen that there is tension.

"This is real. People should not be poo-pooing it.

"We cannot ignore loyalism. We are part of this society and we need to move forward together."

Mr Hutchinson denied that his remarks and the LCC letter made public last week amounted to a threat of violence even though is was a direct threat of violence. 

It has previously been acknowledged that the Brexit Sea Border  arrangements on trade flows between Great Britain and Northern Ireland have created discontent (so loyalist paramilitaries have threatened to break the NI ceasefires) because loyalism and unionism are not getting their own way. 

It was one of the factors at play in successive nights of loyalist street disorder in April 2021. 

The LCC has also spoken out against Irish government ministers visiting Northern Ireland.

In March, Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney was forced to abandon a speech in north Belfast after an elaborate bomb hoax carried out by the UVF. 

   MI5 are only tasked with investigating        dissident republican paramilitaries in            the North of Ireland and not with                investigating dissident loyalist                 paramilitaries who are now against                    the pinciples of the GFA 

Last week, Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan told a Westminster committee that loyalist paramilitaries were likely to have played a role in organising anti-protocol rallies which took place on a regular basis until the summer.

With many thanks to: BBC News (NI) 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: East Belfast UVF behind 'sickening and shocking' death threat to Sunday World reporter

CRIME WORLD | How the Troubles hid history of collusion between loyalists and the security forces.

Major drop in Terrorism Act charge rate in loyalist paramilitary activities in the North of Ireland

The Political wing of the UVF the PUP statement the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement which they have stated they it longer supports

Billy Hutchinson says loyalist community tensions highest since ceasefires

NI Protocol Bill: Peers set to scrutinise it line-by-line

The NI Protocol Bill moves to its next stage in the House of Lords on Tuesday.

DUP/UVF's loyalist newspaper calling all unionists to transfer their votes to anti-Protocol parties namely the DUP. 

Peers are scheduled to spend four days on line-by-line scrutiny of the proposed legislation.

The protocol is the Brexit agreement for Northern Ireland which was agreed by the UK and EU in 2019.

If the bill is passed into law it would give the UK government unilateral powers to change the operation and oversight of the protocol.

The UK has acknowledged this would breach the terms of the deal but has claimed this can be justified on the grounds of "necessity" under international law.

If it becomes law the EU could start fresh infringement proceedings under EU law or trigger the dispute resolution mechanism under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

The protocol keeps NI in the EU's single market for goods, avoiding the need for a hard border with the Irish Republic after Brexit.

However, it also creates a new trade border between North of Ireland and the rest of the UK, something the EU accepts is causing difficulties for many businesses.

Unionists also say it is undermining NI's place in the UK and is contrary to the spirit of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the peace deal which set up power sharing in Northern Ireland.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is refusing to return to power sharing at Stormont due to the DUP and loyalist paramilitary opposition to the protocol. 

▪️What is the NI Protocol? 

▪️NI Protocol Bill passes Commons

The EU has proposed ways of easing the impacts of the protocol but the UK says these measures do not go far enough.

The UK government presented the protocol bill to the House of Commons in June and it was passed without amendment by the end of July.

It is expected to face a more difficult time in the Lords.

Peers have submitted more than 20 pages of amendments, including a Labour amendment which would require the government to "exhaust legal routes under the EU withdrawal agreement" before availing itself of the powers in the bill.

With many thanks to: BBCNewsNI and John Campbell (NI Economics and Business Editor) for the original story. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: Steve Baker comments on Sky News were do as the DUP want and f**k the EU and f**k the Irish government!

More DUP lies and hypocrisy by Jeffrey Donaldson MP on Good Morning Ulster 25th October, 2022

The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill moves to its next stage in the House of Lords on Tuesday.

Steve Baker comments on Sky News were do as the DUP want and f**k the EU and f**k the Irish government!

    ERG Conservative MP Steve Baker

    Steve Bakers comments on Sky News         were very unwelcome but as myself               and Brian Feeney warned this                    month a scorpion always has a                   very nasty sting in its tail and                    Baker's apology means nothing!                          #NeverTrustATory 

1/2 After infuriating unionists earlier this month by apologising to Irish Govt for approach to Brexit talks, Northern Ireland Office Minister @SteveBakerHW this morning used language of DUP - “We won’t be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement” @rtenews

2/2 speaking to @RidgeOnSunday minister @SteveBakerHW said “there won’t be devolved government” if the UK weakens its position on the Protocol.” The DUP has been warning of the “funeral” of the Agreement if it doesn’t get its way on the Protocol @rtenews

Brian Feeney's opinion piece published in the Irish News (take Steve Baker's apology as it is nothing) take it with a pinch of salt #NeverTrustATory 

With many thanks to: Vincent Kearney and RTÉ News (@rtenews) for the original Twitter posting. 

Follow these links to find out more on this story: Follow this link for the Thread link to this Tweet

Brexit Protocol: Would the real Steve Baker please stand up?

The DUP and Brexit are to blame not the NI Protocol that had stalled talks between the British Government and the European Union.

DUP's hard position on protocol 'to prevent Sinn Féin First Minister'

Here ya go.... Tory Ken Clarke calls it out....

                      Lord Dodds

Follow this link to view the full video

Is rejectionist unionism really lost?No.

The #protocol issue was the masterful deceit, the cover story, the dead cat.

It's really all about coming to terms with sharing power as equals.

A SF First Minister is something they simply can't abide or will ever accept.

#Equality

Part 2/

...Clarke still not buying the BS.

Follow this link to view Part 2/

1/ The Dup came under attack again from another peer..

                      Lord Triesman 

Labour's Lord Triesman said:

"Who is refusing to take part in the power-sharing in Northern Ireland? Arguably the most extreme right-wing party anywhere in the United Kingdom, the DUP!

▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️

2/ "That I am afraid, and they won't like it, is my view of who they are.

They have decided that they won't take part and they have decided that the efforts that could be made across the areas of health and education and all those other areas should not proceed. 

3/

"I think that is a dreadful and scandalous thing to do.

*[End]